An Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna Department of Education and Skills Whole School Evaluation Management, Leadership and Learning REPORT Sligo School Project Abbeyquarter, Sligo, Co. Sligo Uimhir rolla: 19910U Date of inspection: 11 June 2014
Introduction Whole-School Evaluation Management, Leadership and Learning Report A Whole-School Evaluation Management, Leadership and Learning (WSE - MLL) was undertaken in Sligo School Project in June 2014. This report is based on a selection of lessons observed in a range of learning settings in the school, interaction with pupils and review of their work, meetings with the principal and with patron, board, and parent representatives, completed parent and pupil questionnaires, and a selection of school documents. The board of management of the school was given an opportunity to comment in writing on the findings and recommendations of the report, and the response of the board will be found in the appendix of this report. Sligo School Project is an urban primary school under the independent patronage of the Sligo School Project Association Limited. An executive committee acts on behalf of the Association. The school ethos, as set out in its Memorandum of Association (1986), advocates five principles: a child-centred approach; co-education; multi-denomination; democratic management; and open communication. At the time of this evaluation, there was considerable disquiet expressed by various members of the school community about the lack of common understanding in respect of these principles, particularly with regard to child centredness and open communication. The school is included in Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS, Band 1, Urban); the action plan of the Department of Education and Skills for educational inclusion. It is also included in the School Support Programme involving the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) and the School Completion Programme (SCP) administered by the Child and Family Agency. There are forty-four pupils enrolled; this represents a significant decrease in the number of pupils enrolling. For example, seventy-four pupils were enrolled in 2011. Data provided by the school indicate that overall attendance is poor. For example, for the school year, 2012-2013, attendance averaged at 75.5 percent. Indeed, less than two-thirds of the pupils were at school on the first day of this evaluation. The school has strengths in the following areas: The teachers have suitable rapport with their pupils and provide them with regular opportunities to contribute ideas and talk about issues. During the evaluation, standards of pupil behaviour were satisfactory. Good practice was observed in some aspects of teaching and curriculum provision, for example in Music, Physical Education and the implementation of the Aistear framework. A number of pupils manifest good skill in respect of role-play and improvisation. Useful assessment records are maintained in relation to pupils progress in literacy and numeracy. Teachers have begun to engage in the school self-evaluation (SSE) process and have set targets for improvement in literacy and numeracy. All classrooms present well and there is good provision of resources. The following main recommendations are made: The executive committee of the patron body and the board of management should work together together to reach agreement on a reasonable and practical interpretation of the ethos of the school. A conclusive decision in respect of future patronage is required. The principal and teachers in consultation with the board need to develop a clear vision and a common purpose in respect of how school improvement will be achieved. The principal and teachers need to develop a more unified and collaborative approach so as to improve teaching and learning. 2
It is essential that appropriate communications and working relationships are reestablished between school management and parents. As an immediate priority, school management should develop and implement an attendance strategy. There is a need for stronger leadership to effect curriculum development and to ensure agreed initiatives are implemented, monitored and evaluated. Learning outcomes in literacy and numeracy should be improved further and there is need to significantly improve learning outcomes in Irish. There is need to develop differentiated teaching strategies and activities to ensure that teaching and learning experiences are tailored to individual pupils needs. A complete review of the school timetable is required to ensure appropriate accord with the Department s guidelines. An action plan should be developed to guide the whole-school planning process and parents should be included in the development and review of relevant plans and policies. A report on child protection should be provided at every board of management meeting and the outcome should be recorded in the minutes. Findings 1. The learning achievements of pupils The overall learning achievements of pupils are fair. While most pupils presented as co-operative and well-behaved during the evaluation, many pupils did not engage in assigned tasks with sufficient industry and many were insufficiently motivated to remain on task. Transitions between and within activities were sometimes inefficient and this was a cause of distraction for pupils. Learning outcomes in numeracy have scope for development as evidenced, for example, in standardised test results. Overall, satisfactory use of active learning opportunities and mathematical games and opportunities to work in pairs and groups were observed. While a range of work was found in copybooks and workbooks, there was a lack of consistency in the presentation and quality of much of this work. Some pupils performed well in tasks assigned and showed good computational skills. However, there were insufficient differentiated learning opportunities observed during the evaluation; this is a critical area for improvement. It is recommended that higher expectations and clearer targets be set in respect of pupils learning outcomes in numeracy. Learning outcomes in literacy have scope for development overall, as is also evidenced in standardised test results. Most pupils enjoy reading and discussing what they have read. However, many pupils present with difficulties in respect of their phonological and phonemic awareness. Differentiated learning programmes that cater for the specific needs of individual pupils need to be implemented consistently. The school implements the First Steps writing programme and pupils write in a variety of genres. Some of this work is of a good standard. Overall learning outcomes in Irish are poor. A whole-school structured programme with clear learning targets and higher expectations of achievement across all four strands of the Irish curriculum is required. The lessons observed in Music and Physical Education were active and well structured and pupils enjoyed the learning opportunities provided. The lessons observed in Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and History provided satisfactory opportunities for talk and discussion and many pupils engaged to good effect in the lessons. However, a tendancy towards an over-emphasis on prolonged discussion as a method of lesson delivery was observed during the evaluation. A number of pupils in the senior classes manifest good skill in respect of role-play and improvisation. 3
In questionnaires completed during the evaluation by pupils from third to sixth class, most agreed that they are doing well in their reading and Mathematics. Most also agreed that their teacher listens to them and tells them how to improve their work. All agreed that homework was usually checked by their teacher. In parental questionnaires, there was considerable variation in responses across many of the statements and it is to be noted that the overall response rate was less than two-thirds. In respect of learning, the majority agreed that their child was doing well overall and also in regard to reading and Mathematics. However, a sizeable minority disagreed that their children were making good progress in reading or Mathematics. These outcomes merit further attention by the school. 2. Quality of teaching The teaching staff comprises three mainstream teachers, including the teaching principal, and a learning-support teacher and a resource teacher. In addition, a HSCL co-ordinator and a SCP co-ordinator visit the school on a weekly basis. Good practice was observed in some aspects of teaching and curriculum provision. The areas of strength observed included pupil-teacher rapport, the use of resources for some subject areas, some good questioning strategies, opportunities for paired and group work and the implementation of Aistear. However, during the evaluation, there was an over-emphasis on whole-class teaching in mainstream settings. There is need to develop differentiated teaching strategies and activities to ensure that teaching and learning experiences are tailored to individual pupils needs. Furthermore, there is need for most teachers to improve the structure and pace of lessons. The teaching of reading was found, overall, to be fair. Some pupils in each classroom read with age-appropriate fluency. However, the reading and comprehension skills of many pupils at each class level are lower than expected. Further links should be established with the National Educational Psychological Service and Special Education Support Service to assist in planning for interventions to improve standards for pupils who are underachieving in standardised assessments. The teaching of Irish lacks consistency across the school and, as aforementioned, learning outcomes are poor. A school-wide review with an improvement focus should be carried out using external supports, as available. All teachers provided written planning for their work; much of this was of a good quality. However, in the mainstream settings, programmes of work should be outlined clearly in long-term planning and details of differentiation included. Class teachers could consider the use of planning grids to ensure that they are covering all aspects of the curriculum progressively. Additionally, there should be more focus on revision. All classrooms present well and there is good provision of resources. Significant irregularities were noted in respect of timetabling. For instance, the allocation of time for some subject areas exceeds the suggested minimum weekly time contained in the Primary School Curriculum (1999) and the terms of Circular Letter 0056/2011. Conversely, it was found that insufficient duration was scheduled for some subjects, for example Irish. Examination of the learning-support/resource teachers timetables indicates that some of the work undertaken is not appropriate to their specific role. A complete review of timetables is required. All teachers maintain useful assessment records on pupils progress in literacy and numeracy. Aproaches to assessment of learning in some other curricular areas, particularly Irish, should be improved. There were limited assessment for learning (AfL) strategies evident across the school; more systematic use of AfL, within the cycle of planning, teaching and learning, would enhance learning opportunities. There 4
should be greater whole-school cohesion around the number of copybooks that pupils have as well as clearer expectations around the presentation of work and correction procedures. Currently, some classes use one copybook for almost all curricular subjects. In such cases, it is difficult to track the pupils progression in learning in various subjects over the year. Both learning-support/resource teachers were on leave at the time of the evaluation. Teachers who were replacing them manifested good rapport with pupils and engaged them well in the learning activities observed. In one instance, lesson structure should have been better. As mainstream teachers have first-line responsibility for in-class activities, they should ensure that the support provided to their pupils by other teachers is documented clearly. In parents questionnaires, while the majority agreed that teaching was good in the school, a sizeable minority did not. 3. Support for pupils well-being During the evaluation, the general organisation and management of pupils behaviour were found to be satisfactory. In questionnaires, pupils agreed that they feel safe in school, get on well with other children and are treated fairly and respectfully. They also agreed that they have a say in how things are done in the school. A school meeting is conducted on a weekly basis whereby pupils from the middle and senior classes and their teachers discuss issues concerning pupils. One such meeting was observed and it was conducted democratically and with satisfactory outcome. However, it would be beneficial if an agenda could be partly agreed in advance and if additional ways of ensuring that all pupils contribute to the meetings, including Think/Pair/Share, could be explored. As aforementioned, overall school attendance is poor. As a matter of priority, school management should develop and implement an attendance strategy. Closer links should be forged with the Child and Family Agency in this regard. In discussion, some parents reported to the inspection team that they and others had, for a number of weeks previously, withdrawn their children from the school due to their dissatisfaction with school management and overall standards. They reported that they were awaiting the beginning of the new school year to enrol their children elsewhere. The board of management needs to ascertain the veracity of these assertions and take remedial action immediately. The punctuality of some pupils, particularly more senior pupils, was found to be poor during the evaluation. This is an issue that needs to be addressed with far more rigour by in-school management and all teaching staff. In questionnaires completed by parents, the majority agreed that their child enjoys school. However, there was considerable variation in responses with regard to the quality of support for pupils. For example, more parents disagreed than agreed that discipline is good or that there is a good atmosphere in the school. A sizeable minority indicated that they were unhappy with the school overall and did not feel confident that the school would act promptly and efficiently if their child experienced bullying. The substitute special needs assistant for pupils with specific care needs was observed to work positively in support of pupils. Confirmation was provided that the board of management has formally adopted the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools without modification in the week before the evaluation and that the school is compliant with the requirements of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. As required, a report on child protection should be provided at every board 5
of management meeting and the outcome of the discussion should be formally recorded in the minutes. 4. Leadership and Management There are significant difficulties in respect of school management. Discussion with representatives of the patron body, school management and parents indicates considerable dissatisfaction with current patronage arrangements. A conclusive decision in respect of future patronage is required. There is a lack of common understanding in respect of the school s ethos particularly as it pertains to child-centredness and open communication. It is recommended that the executive committee and the board of management work together to reach agreement on a reasonable and practical interpretation of the ethos of the school. The board of management meets regularly. The chairperson demonstrates good insight into current issues and a strong desire for school improvement. The school accounts have been certified and minutes of meetings are maintained. A formal report from the principal should inform each board meeting and the board should be apprised regularly of learning outcomes in the school. There is a need for members of the board to avail of training in school management. The board should consider issuing an annual report to parents on the operation of the school. The in-school management team comprises the teaching principal and deputy principal. The principal, appointed to her post in 2012, has progressed the development of a number of school policies. She reports to have focused on the improvement of pupil behaviour and the implementation of anti-bullying strategies since her appointment. There are a number of school leadership areas that require improvement: expectations for pupil achievement; ensuring progression and development in learning across the strands and strand units of the Primary School Curriculum; monitoring and measuring the impact of initiatives within the school; timetabling and home-school partnership. External supports may need to be sought to support the principal in her work. The recently appointed deputy principal supports the principal diligently and such support is valued by the principal. However, the deputy principal needs to have a more robust curriculum leadership role. The principal and teachers in consultation with the board need to develop a clear vision for school improvement and a common purpose in respect of how it will be achieved. The principal and teachers need to develop a more unified and collaborative approach so as to improve teaching and learning. Overall, the quality of management of relationships and communication with the school community is poor. There are a number of strategies in place such as a website, monthly newsletters and text alerts. Currently, however, communication between some parents and in-school managment is not operating satisfactorily. It is essential that lines of communication and working relationships are re-established; external mediation may need to be considered as an approach to dealing with current difficulties. In discussion, the newly established parents association (PA) expressed a willingness to assist the school. In advancing its role, members should avail of training and endeavour to be more inclusive of the school population. Members of the PA expressed general satisfaction with the informal atmosphere in the school, the buddy system which involves older pupils caring for younger pupils, provision for infant pupils and the willingness of many parents to support the work of the school. However, they expressed strong dissatisfaction in respect of the supervision of pupils, school attendance and punctuality, overall learning outcomes, the involvement of voluntary non-teaching staff in the education of their children, communication difficulties between in-school management and parents, and the patronage of the school. 6
During the evaluation, it was found that excess time was allocated to pupils for the eating of lunches in certain classes. Such practice should be reviewed to accord with Circular 11/95, Time in School. While official school registers have been maintained since the establishment of the school, they have been partially completed only. This situation should be rectified without delay. 5. School Self-evaluation Teachers have engaged in the school self-evaluation (SSE) process. They have already identified targets for improvement in both literacy and numeracy. They intend to bring the school improvement plans to the board and issue an SSE report to parents before the end of the school year. A number of school plans have been reviewed and updated recently. To guide the planning process, there should be a clear action plan for future policy development. To begin with in addition to the aforementioned attendance strategy there is need to outline approaches to the supervision of pupils and to detail how critical incidents are to be managed in an appropriate policy document. There is need also to review the homework policy and to expedite the review of curricular policies. Parents should be involved in the development and review of relevant policies. All policies should be ratified at board of management level. The board should use the legislative and regulatory check list from the School Self-Evaluation Guidelines for Primary Schools (2012: 64-67) to guide its work. Conclusion The school s capacity to develop further will be heavily dependent on effective leadership to promote cohesion and collaboration in the school s improvement agenda. Taking current issues into account, it is unlikely that an improvement agenda can succeed without input from external sources of support and advice. Published January 2015 7
Appendix SCHOOL RESPONSE TO THE REPORT Submitted by the Board of Management 8
Area 1 Observations on the content of the inspection report The Board of Management (BoM) of Sligo School Project welcomes the report of the inspectorate and accepts the considered result of a very thorough and participative experience in June 2014. The Board is committed to working with the staff and school community to build on the strengths outlined and to use the recommendations and findings as an important benchmark in moving forward. Area 2 Follow-up actions planned or undertaken since the completion of the inspection activity to implement the findings and recommendations of the inspection. The main recommendations have been the initial priority. The school timetable has been reviewed and changes agreed. The agenda and minutes of the BoM now reflect the inclusion of required reports. The School Self Evaluation, already underway as the report recognised, with a phased and focussed attention on literacy and numeracy will now address the improvement of learning outcomes in Irish. A school attendance review has been initiated by the Principal and Deputy Principal and this will be elaborated into a school strategy with the involvement of the school community. Teaching and support staff are collaborating to ensure a unified approach to teaching and learning. Planning for the school s future development including a strengthening of the school s ethos will demand the involvement of the whole school community. The BoM will do all it can to support these developments. 9